Why the Internet's Trying to Cancel Jimmy Fallon? Here's What Happened

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon is one of the most popular late-night shows. Undoubtedly, much of this fame is due to the host's immense charisma, as Jimmy has always captivated audiences with his charm and humor, apparent lack of arrogance, and good knowledge of pop culture.

But when we talk about show business, there is always the question of how sincere the entertainers are. Is it really the same person behind the charming smile — or is the star more problematic than they seem?

According to recent allegations, Jimmy Fallon actually falls into the latter category.

What Happened?

On September 7, Rolling Stone published an article by Krystie Lee Yandoli, who interviewed 16 anonymous staffers (only two of them currently work on Fallon's show).

According to them, the work environment on the project was incredibly toxic, all because of the host's erratic behavior and emotional instability. Fallon's antics are reportedly related to his alcohol abuse, which resulted in the host appearing on the show drunk or with a severe hangover.

The interviewees said that one day, Jimmy could be as charming as he was on screen, and the next day, he was causing his staff to cry in locker rooms and even contemplate suicide. Many of them noted that their mental health plummeted after working on the show, and the fact they have chosen to remain anonymous for fear of prosecution and lawsuits is a pretty alarming sign.

The Response

The NBC representatives responded to Rolling Stone that they 'encourage employees who feel they have experienced or observed behavior inconsistent with our policies to report their concerns so that we may address them accordingly.'

Fallon himself also responded to the allegations, reaching out to his staff via Zoom.

'Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends… I feel so bad I can't even tell you,' Jimmy said. Well, it may seem like a nice gesture, but his words are unlikely to fix people's compromised mental health.

Will the show and Fallon himself be canceled?

'Good rule of thumb: whenever a public-facing person's entire brand is built around how unfailingly nice they are, run like hell,' a fan commented on Twitter after the scandal. As you'd expect, people immediately sided with Fallon's employees, calling out the host for his actions and bringing up his past allegations and conflicts.

But will this affect Fallon and his project in any way? While NBC has skillfully avoided mentioning Jimmy's name in their response, the producers have begun to vigorously defend the show, which is not at all surprising considering how many viewers and dollars it brings to the network.

Also, if you think about other attempts by the public to cancel a star after a scandal (such as the recent Jonathan Majors case, for instance), it seems unlikely that Fallon will actually get canceled. After all, The Tonight Show has been renewed through 2026 despite the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.

Source: Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, Twitter.